Websites provide a way to connect with existing customers as well as new potential customers. And this is why SEO really matters for small business websites! Small businesses that are utilising SEO are more likely to receive more organic traffic to their site. And the more traffic on a site, the more likely the business will gain a new customer.

SEO is complex, which is why many business owners don't bother with it. However, even having a basic understanding of SEO and utilising some best practices is better than nothing. If you're just getting started with SEO on your small business website, here is some information to keep in mind: 

Understanding SEO

The first step is to develop a basic understanding of what is SEO and how it works. SEO stands for search engine optimisation. A website that is search engine optimised ranks higher on Google searches, which allows more people to find the site and click through to it.

In the most simple of terms, there are Google algorithms that rate webpages on relevancy and authorisation. The higher the webpage rates, the more likely it will appear on the first page of searches. Ideally, you'll want your page ranking in the top results.

SEO sounds simple in theory, but understanding the algorithms can be complex. SEO is constantly changing and evolving, so you have to stay on top of current trends. 

Understanding keywords

Knowing keywords is essential when it comes to SEO. The right keywords boost the relevancy of your webpage and can help it rank higher.

Where many people go wrong is integrating too many keywords into their website. You don't want to spam your website with them. Instead, you want to naturally work throughout your website. Good places to include keywords include:
  • titles
  • headers
  • meta descriptions
  • anchor text
  • body text, and
  • in the description of graphics.
Figuring out what keywords to use can be tricky, but there are tools and resources that can help you figure out the keywords that are relevant to your respective industry. Another tip for beginners is to visit other reputable and popular websites within your industry and see what keywords they're using.

Understanding content creation

The quality of the content you post also plays a role in how well you rank. Google algorithms scan text similarly to how humans do. Well-written text that is easy to read and well-organized tends to rank higher.

This is because most people don't read word for word when reading web content. Instead, they skim for relevant headers and keywords and pick out what is most interesting to them. Most people also avoid texts that contain challenging words.

Content that has distinct headers, easy to read sentences and has some sort of logical order is preferable. Avoid long passages of dense text. Also, you're going to want to write content that is relevant to your industry. The more engaging and easy to read your content is, the better.

Understanding your audience

Having a good grasp of your audience can also impact the quality of your content. Understanding your audience's demographics and interests can help you get a better understanding of what type of content and keywords you should be using.

Selecting keywords is even easier when you can gear it towards a specific demographic. If you know the age and gender of those who frequent your website, you can further narrow down your terminology and keywords to meet their needs.

There are various ways to begin analysing your audience. You can use a service such as Google Analytics on your website, or look at social insights on social media platforms. Additionally, you can send out surveys to current customers. Once you've analysed your audience, start catering your content and keywords to them.

Understanding blogging

When done correctly, blogging can boost your SEO. Blogging is another way to incorporate relevant content and keywords naturally onto your site. If you're not willing to commit to blogging correctly, you should avoid it altogether.

Some people try to trick Google algorithms by spamming their blog with irrelevant content or posts that only contain keywords. This method worked in the past, but as Google algorithms continue to improve, this is no longer a good practice.

If you're serious about blogging, you'll want to post a minimum of once a week. You want your post to be engaging, easy to read and to contain a few carefully selected keywords. You also want to incorporate internal and external links into your post. Also, don't forget to promote your blogs on social media.

Understanding links

External and internal linking is one of the ways to further increase the relevancy of your site, which can boost your SEO. Links signal to Google that your site is a quality resource that is worth referring to. To further boost SEO, make sure that internal and external links contain relevant keywords.

External links refer to links from other websites that you might refer to within your blog. Ideally, you will only link to authority sites that are established as a trustworthy site within your industry. Internal links refer to links that go from one page to another on your domain; it helps make navigating your site easier.

You'll also want to start building backlinks, which is where other sites link to your site. This further signals that your content is worth referring to. One way to do this is through guest blogging.

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